Farmajo announces interim staff after taking reins at Villa Somalia

Fresh off the heels of taking over daily operations as President of the Somali Republic, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo named his interim team during his brief transitional period.

Somali Ambassador to the EU, Ali Saed Fiqi will serve as the President’s interim chief of staff.

Hussein Mo’allin Mohamud will serve as the interim national security advisor. Mr. Mohamud was previously a senior intelligence officer with NISA.

He also named Siyad M Shire as the Chief of Protocol.

President Farmajo was sworn in immediately after the Feb 8th election because Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s mandate expired on September 10th; although formally recognized as the President of Somalia, today’s ceremony at Villa Somalia signified the official changing of the guards. A ceremonial inauguration will be held on February 22.